Control device



July 26, 1966 C. FALLIS ET AL CONTROL DEVI CE Filed July 21, 1964 I I 28 32 as 26, 27

" INVENTORS IZCHARLES FALLIS CARL H. MAYER JR. ARTHUR RODGERS 25 By WW ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,262,323 CONTROL DEVICE Charles Fallis, Park Ridge, Carl H. Mayer, Jr., Wilmette, and Arthur Rodgers, Northbrook, Ill., assignors to The Fire Guard Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed July 21, 1964, Ser. No. 384,171 9 (Ilaims. (Cl. 74--2) This invention relates to an energy storing control device for providing a relatively large force in response to a small triggering force and more particularly, to such a device for actuating the valve on a fire extinguisher head assembly.

The proper design of control devices of the foregoing type entails several important considerations. It is necessary, of course, to store sufficient energy in the device to actuate the valve in question. Generally this involves no problem since a proper sized energy storing spring can be used and the device manually cocked with the necessary force. However, it is important that there be a very sensitive trigger means to release this stored energy which will only be actuated in response to a particular event, such as a sudden increase in temperature, and not responsive to any other exterior or environmental event such as could result from dropping the device, vibrations, etc.

It is also desirable in such a device that a means be provided for manually triggering the control. Towards this end, it is desirable to provide a manual control in which a positive force is necessary to operate the same so that inadvertent handling of the manual control will not result in unintentional release of the stored energy. The manual control accordingly should be designed to be much less sensitive than the thermal control. Moreover, such manual control should be operable from a remote location. Towards this end, cable assemblies, for example, have been proposed. However, with presently known cable assemblies, the direction in which the cable must be pulled has generally been fixed so that some limitation in the installation of the control device is present. In other instances, it may be desirable not to use any type of remote control and towards this end, it is important to be able to remove any such remote control and still use the device as a solely thermally responsive control.

Another important consideration in the design of a control device is to render it adaptable to different types of thermally responsive devices. For example, a diaphragm actuated structure is used in many instances, movement of the diaphragm being effected by expansion of gases due to a rapid temperature rise. The movement of the diaphragm in turn is designed to trigger the device. On the other hand, there may be provided electrically 0perated thermostats at remote locations, the signal therefrom serving to actuate a solenoid. Thus, a different type of connection would ordinarily be necessary to operate the control device. It is preferable to avoid any changes in the device when used with different controls.

In my co-pending patent application Serial N0. 384,170, filed July 21, 1964, and entitled Control Device, there is disclosed a device in which the various foregoing design features are taken into consideration. However, this device as disclosed in my prior application is limited somewhat in its sensitivity in that operation is not always assured when the device is set to respond to extremely small triggering forces.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a control device incorporating all of the versatile features and advantages of the control device described in my prior application and including additional features to provide greater reliability in response to extremely small triggering forces.

'Another object, therefore, is to provide an extremely versatile control device adaptable to various forms and combinations of triggering devices responsive to fluid pressure pulses, electric current, remote cable actuation and the like.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a control device which will provide a large actuating force in response to a small triggering force in such a manner that only certain elements will serve to trigger the device and other environmental events such as shock, vibration, etc. will not trigger the device.

Another important object is to provide a novel manually operable cable assembly means to effect manual triggering of the device from -a remote location and from any desired direction.

Still another object is to provide a unique trigger control for control devices responsive to thermally operated structures of either the diaphragm type or electrically operated type, or stored pressured type.

Briefly, these and many other objects and advantages of this invention are attained by providing a housing including an actuating rod protruding from one end. This rod is arranged to move from a raised set position to a lowered released position to provide the desired large actuating force to operate a fire extinguisher head assembly or any other equivalent valve structure. The inner end of the rod within the housing terminates in a coupling eye structure mounted to a disc in turn eccentrically secured to a shaft. The arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft will serve to cam the eye from a lower position to an upper position to cock or store energy within the device. Towards this end, there is provided a strong compression spring which is compressed upon movement of the actuating rod from its lower or most extended position to its retracted position. By using an eccentric arrangement movable towards an over-center position, a large amount of energy may be stored and yet the required force to release this energy approaches zero as the eccentric disc approaches the over-center position. This disc includes a laterally extending latch arm which is adapted to be engaged by a pivoted latch lever. By adjusting the device such that positioning of the eccentric disc is at substantially over-center position, zero force is exerted on the latch lever. A trigger element is provided and the latch lever biased with an adjustable spring to engage the trigger element. Movement of the trigger element will then release the latch lever to in turn permit the latch lever to move the latch arm positively in a direction to release the energy stored in the compression spring.

The foregoing arrangement is advantageous in that the necessary triggering force can be adjusted independently of the degree of compression of the main energy storing compression spring by simply adjusting the latch lever spring.

Other important features of the invention relate to the provision of a novel cable actuator assembly adapted to operate the trigger element when a cable is pulled and so mounted to the housing that the direction of pull may be varied as desired. Further, the housing includes a coupling adapted to receive either a diaphragm type thermal control or electrically operated thermostat solenoid structure. In either event, the trigger element is responsive to a movable member to release the latch lever so that the adaptation of the diaphragm type or solenoid type of thermal control may readily be achieved.

A better understanding of the improved control device of this invention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the control device of this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross section of the device taken generally in the direction of the arrows 22 of the structure to release the energy stored within the housing 10. The most important of these comprises a thermally responsive device in the form of a diaphragm casing 13 connected through a flexible pressure conduit 14 to a closed volume 15. The closed volume 15 may be disposed in any area in which a fire is liable to break out.

The design is such that a rapid or extraordinary rise in temperature will result in a rate of expansion of the gas within the closed volume 15 sufficient to move the diaphragm within the casing 13 in a direction to trigger the structure in the device 10. With the device coupled to the top of a fire extinguisher head assembly by means of the coupling nut 11, the resulting downward movement of the actuating rod 12 will trigger the fire extinguishing device. A small air bleed is provided from the closed volume 15 so that normal environmental temperature changes will not move the diaphragm to trigger the structure within the housing 10.

To provide manual remote control of the triggering, there may be provided, for example, a cable actuator assembly 16 including first and second cables 17 and 18 extending in opposite directions therefrom. The arrangement is such that pulling on either of the cables 17 or 18 will serve to trigger the structure within the housing 10. In accordance with a further feature, the cable actuating assembly 16 may be swivelly mounted to the top of the housing so that the direction of pull of the cables may be changed as desired.

Still another control may be provided in the form of a manually pivotable lever 19 normally locked against movement to the housing 10. However, removal of the locking key 19' to permit rotation of the manual lever 19 will enable the device to be triggered by moving the lever.

Except for the foregoing means for triggering the structure within the housing 10, it is not possible to otherwise actuate the device. Thus, hammering or dropping or general vibrations exerted on the housing 10 will not release the energy stored therein.

After triggering, the device may be reset by rotating a centershaft 20. This operation as Well as other features of the invention will be better understood by now referring to the enlarged cross section of FIGURE 2.

Referring first to the lower portion of FIGURE 2, there is provided an integral fitting 21 to which the nut 11 is rotatably keyed and which terminates at its upper end Within the housing 10 in an inturned flange 22. This flange supports the upper end of a compression spring 23 serving as the energy storing medium for the device. The lower end of the compression spring 23 seats on an annular stop 24 secured to the actuating rod 12. An annular guide 25 for the lower end of the rod is secured to the fitting 21 as shown. The arrangement is such that the nut 11 may be threaded over the upper nipple portion of a fire extinguisher head assembly so that downward movement of the actuating rod 12 from the solid to the dotted line position transfers the stored energy to actuate the fire extinguisher.

The movement of the actuating rod .12 is achieved by mechanism in the central portion of the housing 10. This mechanism includes an eye structure 26 threaded to the upper end of the actuating rod 12 and locked by set screw 27. The eye 26 defines a central opening 28 including an inner bearing race 29. A disc 30 is rotatably mounted by bearings 31 within the race 29 as shown. The disc 30 is eccentrically connected to the shaft which in turn is rotatably mounted to the housing 10. A latch arm 32 extends laterally from the disc 30.

With the foregoing arrangement, it will beclear that rotation of the shaft 20 will senve to move the disc 30 from a position in which its center is below the shaft 20, as shown in dotted lines, to a position in which its center is above the shaft 20 as shown in solid lines. In the particular solid line illustration of FIGURE 2', the various elements are in their set or cocked position in which the actuating rod r12 is in its set raised position. If the disc 30 is free to rotate, and assuming that the center of the disc 30 is slightly to the right of -a vertical line passing through the shaft 26 so as not to be quite in an overcenter position, the disc 30 will rotate in a clockwise direction until its center is below the shaft 20 to assume the dotted line position. In this position, the actuating rod 12 is in its lowered released position. Thus, in setting or cocking the device, the shaft 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the latch arm 32 assumes the solid line position shown.

It should the pointed out that rod 12 has a loose fit in fiange 22 and in annular guide to accommodate slight lateral movement of rod 12 as a result of the circular motion of eccentric and eye structure 26.

A latch lever 33 pivoted to the housing at 34 includes small lower and upper projections 35 and 36 arranged to be positioned on either side of the end of the latch arm 32 when the latch arm 32 is in its solid lineposition as shown. If the latch arm and disc 30 are not rotated to an exact over-center position but rather slightly to one side of the over-center position such as to the right, the latch arm 32 will rest against the lower projection 35 on the latch lever 33. On the other hand, if the latch arm 32 and disc 30 are rotated beyond the over-center position, the upper end of the latch arm 32 will rest against the upper projection 36 on the latch lever 33. Therefore, so long as the latch lever 33 is in the solid line position shown, the latch arm 32 is caged or effectively prevented from rotating in either direction.

The latch lever itself curves about to define -an extended lever portion terminating adjacent the upper lefthand portion of the housing at 37. A trigger element 38 is centrally pivoted at 39 and has an upper end arranged to engage under the end 37 of the latch lever as shown. A latch lever spring 33' for the latch lever 33 is secured to the latch lever slightly to the left of the central pivot 34 at its upper end and has its lower end secured to the housing so that the latch lever 33 is biased to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the central pivot 34. There is thus a small force exerted by the end 37 of the latch lever on the upper end 40 of the trigger element 38.

With the foregoing arrangement, it will be evident that if the trigger element 38 is pivoted about its central pivot 39 towards the dotted line position so that its .upper end disengages the end -37 of the latch lever 33, the latch lever 3-3 will then be free to rotate about the pivot 34 as a consequence of the force exerted by the spring 33'. This rotat-ive action will remove the lower projection 3-5 from under the latch arm 32 and cause the upper projection 36 to strike the upper portion of the latch arm 32 and exert a positive force rotating the latch arm 32 and disc 30 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2. Accordingly, regardless of the actual position of the latch arm 32; that is, whether it is slightly to the right of over-center position, substantially at overcenter position, or slightly to theleft of the over-center position, it will always be positively moved upon release of the latch lever by the trigger element as a consequence of the positive striking of the projection 36 against the latch arm 32 to move in a clockwise direction and thus permit the compression spring to release its energy.

It will be evident from the above description that the sensitivity of the device may be very accurately adjusted. Since the force exerted by the end 'of the latch lever 36 against the trigger element 38 is substantially independent of the position of the latch arm, this force may be controlled by the latch lever spring 33. In addition, the trigger element 38 is provided with a trigger element control spring 38', the tension of which may be adjusted to in turn adjust the engaging force of the upper end 40 of the trigger element against the end 37 of the latch lever. By properly adjusting the forces exerted by these two springs, the .degree of force necessary to be exerted on the lower end 40' of the trigger element to disengage from under the end 37 of the latch lever 33 may be very accurately controlled. Once this end 37 of the latch lever 33 is released, the action, as. described above, will take place to provide the desired actuating force by the compression spring.

The diaphragm casing 13, as shown in enlarged cross section in FIGURE 2, is so positioned that the lower end 40' of the trigger element 3 8 will be engaged by a movable member 41 connected to a diaphragm '42. The other side of the diaphragm in turn is in communication with the closed volume illustrated in FIGURE 1 through the conduit 14 by means of a coupling cylinder 43. The lower end of the cylinder '43 includes a small air bleed 44 so that slow rates of change of pressure within the closed volume will not move the diaphragm 42 but only a sudden change in pressure as would be caused by a rapid temperature rise is effective to actuate the diaphragm.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the components described thus far will be clear. Thus, a rapid rise in temperature to move the diaphragm 42 to the right and thus move the movable member 41 to the right will serve to rotate the trigger element 38 in a'counterclockwise direction causing the upper end portion 40 to disengage from under the end 37 of the latch lever. Release of the latch lever will then result in the projection 36 striking the latch arm 32 as described so that the latch arm 32 and disc 30 will rotate in a clockwise direction to assume the dotted line position shown and result in the movement of the actuating rod 12 from its solid to dotted line position. This movement of the actuating'rod will then effect any desired function such as turning on a fire extinguisher.

In re-oocking the device, the shaft is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as explained in conjunction with FIGURE 1 until the latch arm 32 engages the projection 36 to lift the latch lever 33. The end 37 of the latch lever 33 will then ride past the trigger element 38 until the end 40 of the trigger element is free to snap under the end 37 and support the latch lever. If the movable member 41 has been retracted, there is sufficient room for the lower end 40' of the trigger element 38 to move, the end of the movable member 41 serving as a stop for the trigger element. The spring 38' as explained heretofore, biases the trigger element generally in the desired direction to engage under the latch lever end 37.

Referring now to the upper portion of FIGURE 2, the cable actuator assembly will be described in detail. As shown, there is provided an actuating element in the form of an inverted L structure 45 pivoted at 46 and including one end portion 47 disposed beneath the center top portion of the housing 10. The other end portion of the inverted L is indicated at 48 and is adapted to engage the trigger element 38 adjacent its upper end portion 40 upon rotation of the L about its pivot 46.

Thus, downward movement of the upper end 47 of the L will result in lateral movement to the left of the other end 48 thereby causing the trigger element to disengage from under the latch lever 33. A spring 45' is provided to bias the L shaped member in a direction to avoid bearing againstthe trigger element 38 unless an intentional force is applied to the upper end 47.

To provide an intentional force, the cable actuator assembly includes a plunger at 49 biased upwardly by a compressor spring 50. The upper end of the plunger terminates against the mid-section of a slide member 51 including inwardly tapered surface walls defining conical surfaces 51a and 51b meeting inthe central portion of the slide member. The arrangement is such that movement of the slide member 51 in either the leftor right hand direction will result in one or the other of the surfaces camming the plunger 49 in a downward direct-ion thereby engaging the end 47 of the L shaped member and thus triggering the device.

The movement of the slide member 51 may be achieved by either one of the cables 17 or 18, the slide member itself being biased to a central position by suitable springs 52 and 53-. By adjusting the forces exerted by the various springs such as the plunger compression spring and the springs 52 and 53, the manual pull force on either one or the other of the cables may be adjusted to adjust the sensitivity of the triggering action by the cables.

A feature of the structure'described in conjunction with the cable actuator assembly resides in the threading of the assembly in a threaded opening 54 and using an expandable type washer 54' such that the cable assembly housing may be rotated and yet a proper seal maintained over the opening. By this arrangement, and because of the symmetry of the plunger element 49 about the vertical axis AA, the direction at which the cables 17 and 18 extend from the housing 16 may be varied as desired.

Another feature of the use of a threaded opening 54 resides in the ease with which the cable actuator assembly 16 may be completely removed and the opening 54 simply plugged by a suitable close-off cap.

By also providing a threaded opening 55 on the left side of the housing 10 for the diaphragm casing 13 and by positioning the trigger element 38 to be operated by a movable member concentric with this opening, a solenoid may readily be substituted for the diaphragm structure with the solenoid plunger performing the function of the movable member 41.

It will also be appreciated other triggering means well known in the art may be coupled to openings 50 and 51. Briefly, automatic triggering could be effected by a diaphragm, a thermostat actuated solenoid, or a pressurized piston activatedby a fusible link cartridge operator. A manual remote means could comprise a cable actuator, solenoid (actuated by push-button), or a pressure pulse from a push-pull station. Any of these devices could be coupled at either 50 or 51.

Thus, while only one specific embodiment of the invention has been set forth and described, it will be evident that various changes and substitution of equivalent elements may be effected by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit and of the invention. The improved control device is therefore not to be thought of as limited to the one embodiment set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. A control device for providing a large actuating force in response to a small triggering force comprising, in combination: a housing; an actuating rod having a lower end protruding from the lower end of said housing; a compression spring biasing said actuating rod from a raised set position to a lowered released position to provide said large actuating force, the upper end of said rod terminating in a coupling eye within said housing, said coupling eye having a central circular opening; a disc received within said circular opening and having a latch arm extending radially therefrom; a shaft eccentrically secured to said disc and mounted to said housing for rotation about an horizontal axis so that rotation of said shaft from a first position in which the center of said disc is below said shaft to a second position in which the center of said disc is above said shaft, moves said actuating rod from its released position to its set position to compress said compression spring; a latch lever pivoted intermediate its ends in said housing and including at one end-spaced projections positioned on opposite sides of said latch arm to hold said shaft and disc in said second position; biasing means bias ing said latch lever in a direction to move said projections from said latch arm; and trigger means engaging the other end of said latch lever to block pivoting movement thereof and responsive to said triggering force to disengage said latch lever so that rotation of said latch lever by said biasing means moves one of said projections positively against said latch arm to start rotation of said latch arm and disc so that said compression spring moves said actuating rod from its set to released position to provide said large actuating force.

, 2. A control device according to claim 1, in which said housing includes an upper opening receiving a cable actuator assembly, said cable actuator assembly including two cables extending in opposite directions from said assembly and a central plunger received in said opening and responsive to pulling of either one of said two cables to move downwardly into said opening; and a pivoted member in said housing responsive to downward movement of said plunger into said opening to actuate said trigger means. 7

3. A control device according to claim 2, in which said cable actuator assembly is mounted to said opening for swiveling movement so that said cables can be pulled from any desired direction.

4. A control device according to claim 3, in which said cable assembly includes a slide member having opposite ends connected to said cables respectively and radially inwardly tapered sidewalls meeting at the center of the member to define a pair of conical surfaces, said plunger being cammed in a downward direction by one of said conical surfaces upon sliding movement of said slide member in one direction and by the other of said conical surfaces upon sliding movement of said slide member in the other direction.

5. A control device according to claim 4, in which said housing includes a side opening receiving a thermally operated assembly including a movable member receivable through said side opening in a position to engage a portion of said trigger means, said assembly being responsive to a given rate of temperature increase to move said member inwardly to actuate said trigger means.

6. A control device according to claim 5, in which said thermally operated assembly includes a pressure diaphragm, one side of which is connected to said movable member and the other side of which is subjected to gas pressure in a closed volume, said closed volume having an air bleed such that only said given rate of temperature increase will provide sufficient pressure from thermal expansion against said diaphragm to actuate said triggering means.

7. A control device according to claim 6, in which the projections on said latch lever are positioned so that said latch arm is positioned substantially mid-way 'between said projections when said disc and latch arm are initially rotated to an exact over-center position so that the engaging force of said latch lever on said trigger means is substantially independent of forces exerted by said compression spring.

8. A control device according to claim 7, in which said movable member for said thermal assembly is positioned to engage upon movement the end of said trigger element opposite to its engaging end so that inward movement of said end results in the outward movement of said engaging end to release said latch lever.

9. A control device according to claim 8, including a trigger element spring connected between said trigger element and said housing for biasing said trigger element such as to urge said lower end into engagement with said movable member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,333,130 10/1943 Thomsen 74-2 2,466,750 4/1949 Thomsen 74-2 2,923,160 2/1960 Ault 74 2 MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTROL DEVICE FOR PROVIDING A LARGE ACTUATING FORCE IN RESPONSE TO A SMALL TRIGGERING FORCE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A HOUSING; A ACTUATING ROD HAVING A LOWER END PROTRUDING FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING; A COMPRESSION SPRING BIASING SAID ACTUATING ROD FROM A RAISED SET POSITION TO A LOWERED RELEASED POSITION TO PROVIDE SAID LARGE ACTUATING FORCE, THE UPPER END OF SAID ROD TERMINATING A COUPLING EYE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID COUPLING EYE HAVING A CENTRAL CIRCULAR OPENING; A DISC RECEIVED WITHIN SAID CIRCULAR OPENING AND HAVING A LATCH ARM EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM; A SHAFT ECCENTRICALLY SECURED TO SAID DISC AND MOUNTED TO SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN HORIZONTAL AXIS SO THAT ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THE CENTER OF SAID DISC IS BELOW SAID SHAFT TO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE CENTER OF SAID DISC IS ABOVE SAID SHAFT, MOVES SAID ACTUATING ROD FROM ITS RELEASED POSITION TO ITS SET POSITION TO COMPRESS SAID COMPRESSION SPRING; A LATCH LEVER PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS IN SAID HOUSING AND INCLUDING AT ONE END SPACED PROJECTIONS POSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LATCH ARM TO HOLD SAID SHAFT AND DISC IN SAID SECOND POSITION; BIASING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH LEVER IN A DIRECTION TO MOVE SAID PROJECTIONS FROM SAID LATCH ARM; AND TRIGGER MEANS ENGAGING THE OTHER END OF SAID LATCH LEVER TO BLOCK PIVOTING MOVEMENT THEREOF AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID TRIGGERING FORCE TO DISENGAGE SAID LATCH LEVER SO THAT ROTATION OF SAID LATCH LEVER BY SAID BIASING MEANS MOVES ONE OF SAID PROJECTIONS POSITIVELY AGAINST SAID LATCH ARM TO START ROTATION OF SAID LATCH ARM AND DISC SO THAT SAID COMPRESSION SPRING MOVES SAID ACTUATING ROD FROM ITS SET TO RELEASED POSITION TO PROVIDE SAID LARGE ACUATING FORCE. 